By: Jordan Fiegel
Bobby Hebert was fuming in the aftermath of the New Orleans Saints overtime loss to the Los Angeles. And he's still mad at the officials and the NFL.
“It was totally unacceptable,” the Cajun Cannon said. “You are dealing with human beings, but this wasn't even a judgment call. It's so obvious. It's the worst non-call in NFL history. And this wasn't like Week 6 or Week 7. This was to go to the Super Bowl.”
The NFL told Saints head coach Sean Payton that officials missed both defensive pass interference and helmet-to-helmet penalties on a crucial third down late in the fourth quarter.
“They say they're worried about helmet-to-helmet, and they don't call it on that play,” Hebert pointed out. “They've been inconsistent on that all season.”
This is a painful loss for both the Saints organization and the Who Dat Nation. Had the penalty been called, the Saints likely would have scored and left the Rams with no timeouts and barely any time left on the clock.
“It's just heartbreaking, because the way the season ended last year with the Minneapolis Miracle and now this,” Hebert sighed. “It's tough to swallow for Saints fans. We were so close but so far. To not have that chance to go to the Super Bowl with how the team has played the last two years is just tough.”
The Saints are stuck this year, but Hebert hopes this officiating disaster leads to changes.
“It's hard to review judgment calls, but they could do something if it's that flagrant or egregious. There have to be situations where that can be overruled. The bottom line is you want to get it right.”
That's not all Hebert wants to see change. He wants to see a new system for officials.
“You need full-time officials,” Hebert said. “In this day and age in the NFL, with so much on the line, you can't have part-time officials.”
Hebert also wants to prevent the appearance that there could be some sort of bias or conspiracy. “You also can't have officials, who have some sort of association with a team. For instance, if you're from Louisiana, you shouldn't be refereeing a Saints game. To have Los Angeles officials doing a Saints/Rams game shouldn't happen. That needs to be addressed. You want everything to be on the up-and-up; you don't want anything to look shady.”
The Saints 2018 season ended in heartbreak. There's nothing to be done now. but to begin to move on and prepare for 2019. And Hebert fully expects the Saints to be back among the elite.
“The Saints have a young roster,” Hebert said. “Drew Brees is going to be 40 years old, and we have to take advantage of still having him on the roster. The Saints are going to be among the best teams in the NFL. They're not just going to fall off; they're going to be right there competing to win the NFC South and go to the playoff